Veterans Forum to be Held August 27

VALDOSTA - The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will
present a free forum for veterans from 8 a.m. to noon on August 27
in the Cypress Room of the University Center, 1215 N. Patterson
Street. The presentation will address agency programs and services
for active and retired military personnel who plan to start or
small businesses.

More specifically, the free forum will focus on loan programs and
other assistance available from the SBA as well as small business
provisions allocated in the 2009 American Recovery Act. The act’s
stipulations for service-connected and disabled veteran-owned small
businesses will also be discussed.

Attendees will receive information about the SBA Patriot Express
Loan Initiative. This program offers guaranteed business loans of
up to $500,000 for those who qualify:

- Members of the National Guard and Army Reserve or their current
spouses.

- Widowed spouses of service members or veterans who died during
service or of a service-connected disability.

Preregistration to attend the forum is mandatory. To register
online, go to www.sba.gov/ga
and select Public Training and Seminars “Register Now” in the
Spotlight section. Please include your name, telephone number
and/or e-mail address. You may also register by fax at
202-481-5239.

Others involved with the forum include the SBA’s SCORE counseling
program, the University of Georgia Small Business Development
Center network, and the Georgia Institute of Technology Procurement
Assistance Center.